"Again agreeable," replied Clarence Raybold, with alacrity. "My pater, since the Jameson Raid, hasn't had too much cash to spare. What with confiscation, fines, and taxes, the life of an Uitlander is not an enviable one in the Transvaal. Therefore I willingly accept your terms, and declare you to be my captain." "What do you say, Weldon?" asked Ned, calmly looking at the water pool. He did this because there were indications of a girlish breakdown on the part of Fred. His eyelids were twitching, and he was gulping something down that appeared to be choking him. "Some fellows go and pay a lot of money to be allowed to join an expedition of this sort. I regard these fellows as fools to pay for what should be paid for. The leader always gets the kudos, therefore he ought to pay the costs. Now, boys, I'm fond of kudos, and I mean to have as much of it as I can out of this affair, therefore I reckon it is only fair that I should pay the piper." Ned spoke musingly, and flicked with his stick at some grass-stalks. Then Clarence Raybold took up the cue with the instinctive feelings of a gentleman. "Those are my sentiments also, of course, when partners go for equal shares in profits as well as adventures. I think, as a kind of guarantee of good faith, the subordinates ought to give a little. Now, I would pledge myself to the extent of twenty pounds, and leave my leader to do all the rest. What do you say, Weldon, old fellow, to contributing twenty pounds each, and letting Ned do the rest?" Fred crushed back into his eyelids a couple of tears, and then, gulping down a big sob, like a huge pill, with the indifference of a Stoic, he said-- "I'd give fifty pounds willingly to go with you and Ned; but if you decide on twenty as the sum, all right, only I have an amendment to propose." "What is that?" asked both Ned and Clar, suspiciously. "If we should discover any diamond or gold mines, or other treasures, that the expenses be then fairly divided, and deducted from our shares of profits." "Done!" cried Ned and Clar, in one breath. Then the lads shook hands solemnly, and the compact was made, which gave them a grand object in life, and sent them forth in search of the adventures which are now to be related. CHAPTER THREE. IN THE DEN OF THE LAWYER. The next two weeks were spent in maturing plans by the young men for their intended expedition. Maps were consulted, and books of travel-- Livingstone, Stanley, and other authorities--devoured in such leisure times as they had from their finishing studies. At last the day arrived--their last day of school life; their last day under the fatherly control of Dr Heardman. The good doctor was proud of his three crack pupils, and prophesied great futures for them. The younger schoolmates went off to their different homes in deep dejection, wondering how they were ever to get on, the next term, without their heroes and champions.